Four years ago, Justine Ghekiere had never competed in a cycling race. Today, at 28, she’s hailed as one of Belgium’s best climbing talents. After Lotte Kopecky, there was a notable gap in Belgian women’s cycling. Yet, Ghekiere has risen to the top echelon through an unconventional path.
Her recent results at the Tour de France Femmes brought her to wider attention. Ghekiere, riding for AG Insurance-Soudal, won the challenging mountain stage to Le Grand-Bornand. She also became the first Belgian since Lucien Van Impe in 1981 to don the polka dot jersey. This victory earned her significant recognition, marking her as the first Belgian woman to gain such acclaim since Lotte Kopecky, who was absent from this year’s race.
Ghekiere reflected to Wielerflits that she, “expect much attention for the Tour de France Femmes in Belgium, especially with Lotte not participating. But it felt more alive than in past editions. I always hoped for this: it’s always ‘Lotte, Lotte, Lotte’, but other stories often go untold in Belgian newspapers.”
Ghekiere is quick to acknowledge Kopecky’s deserved spotlight. “Lotte is currently the best rider in the world. She stands out so much that we might get overshadowed. The level she achieves is immense, and it’s unrealistic for us to reach it,” she admits.
Comparing to the Netherlands, Ghekiere notes the stark differences. “In the Netherlands, many women at the top are closely matched in skill, all belonging to the world elite. Here, it’s Lotte first and the rest far behind. In the Netherlands, there’s a much greater engagement with women’s cycling. At the Tour de France Femmes start in Rotterdam, the crowd was immense. It was even more incredible than what I saw at the Olympics.”
Ghekiere believes that Belgium’s approach to nurturing talent has been evolving. “The differences in how talent is fostered have always been significant. But I’ve noticed a shift in focus by the Belgian cycling federation over recent years. Financial resources to discover talent are now more available. Thanks to Lotte, sponsors are quicker to invest in women’s racing, allowing us to build a strong Belgian team. You can already see top talents emerging.”
Main photo credit: Getty
